Importance of the Discovery Process

When I’m teaching a seminar on proposals, the discovery process takes center stage. I tell participants that one of the problems with writing a proposal is that people get it backwards. They’re so anxious to get their idea down on paper as to how they’re going to solve the client’s problem that they don’t do enough discovery.

The discovery process, as well as the research we may have to carry out, is the foundation of solid proposal writing. It’s the up-front work so necessary in order to develop and write an effective proposal.

See – the discovery process is about getting clear – clear with a briefing document, clear at an actual briefing – and clear in asking the client the kinds of questions for which we need answers. And who do we call on the client’s staff to get those answers?

All this is covered in more detail in How to Write Proposals, Sales Letters & Reports.

To illustrate the importance of discovery, I show seminar participants two triangles – one right way up and one inverted. I then split the triangles in half with a horizontal line. Discovery (and research) are at the top of each triangle. In the normal triangle, discovery takes up relatively little space.

(GRAPHIC TO COME)

In the inverted triangle, discovery takes up a much greater area emphasizing the importance of the up-front work. Get that right and, no pun intended, we can write a far more effective, and hopefully a winning proposal.

The up-front work begins with the present situation:

What is the present situation?

Sometimes it’s not that complicated; e.g., the client wants a quote on a new vehicle. How much do we need to know? Well we may want to know what the vehicle is for, where it’ll be driven, how long the client wants to keep it, lease or buy. Will there be a trade in? Overall, it’s pretty straightforward.

On the other hand, a client asking a consultant for help with a business plan, or restructuring a company, or coming up with a new vision, is likely to be a more complex situation. As part of the discovery process, this requires us to examine that present situation in depth, asking questions such as:

* What challenges does the organization face?
* Does the company have financial issues?
* What is the state of their industry?
* Is there a hidden agenda; i.e., a personnel problem that they’re hoping the consultants will clear up?

If an organization is well prepared, they’ll have those answers for us. We may already have the answers from a proposal-briefing document and/or verbal briefing. If not, we may have to dig away with interviews, research, etc., until satisfied that we know what’s going on; e.g., we may ask to speak with client personnel, customers, suppliers, investors to gain a broader perspective.

(By the way, if things get too complicated, consider whether you actually want the proposal.)

In our discussions on how to approach a proposal, it’s a great idea to use brainstorming and mind mapping to thoroughly review the briefings received and their implications.

All of this is part of discovery. What these tell us or rather define for us, is where the client is today.

The briefing also helps us determine:

What is the desired situation?

Summary to this point

* We know where the client stands.
* We know what the client wants to achieve
* We’ve been briefed by the client, had client meetings by phone or in person.
* We’ve got some of our questions answered – maybe all.
* We’ve most likely done some research to guide us.

Now what?

We’re after a solution. That likely means that the discovery process must extend into more research and analysis.